Government Cars

Lord Hoyle: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord McIntosh of Haringey on 16 October (WA 68), what is the policy of the Department for International Development in relation to the disposal of government cars after use.

Baroness Amos: The Department for International Development does not own any government cars. The three official vehicles they use are all leased from the Government Car and Despatch Agency.

Government Cars

Lord Hoyle: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Farrington of Ribbleton on 13 October (WA 58), for what security reasons the Welsh Office were unable to give the information in relation to the two cars supplied by the Government Car and Despatch Agency which was given by the Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 24 July (WA 15).

Baroness Farrington of Ribbleton: The information requested was given by Lord Falconer on 24 July 2000 (Vol. 616, WA 15). Because of the small number of cars used by the Wales Office it is important to avoid giving information that might inadvertently lead to vehicles' identification when they are in use. Other departments may make their own assessment of the security risks facing individual Ministers but it is not the Government's policy to discuss the risks facing any individual Minister.

Common Agricultural Policy

Lord Dubs: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will report progress on the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food's recent meeting with other EU Agriculture Ministers to discuss further reform of the CAP.

Baroness Hayman: Together with ministerial colleagues from Denmark, Sweden and the Netherlands, my right honourable friend, the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Nick Brown) took part in discussions on the future direction of the common agricultural policy at a meeting on Capri hosted by the Italian Minister of Agricultural Policy, Mr Alfonso Pecoraro Scanio. These discussions carried forward the fruitful co-operation between Italy, Denmark, Sweden and UK which was a feature of the 1999 Agenda 2000 negotiations on the CAP. The Dutch Minister participated in the meeting for the first time in an observer capacity. Given the challenges of EU enlargement and the WTO trade negotiations to the future of the CAP, the participating Ministers agreed a programme of collective work on reform of the CAP, and decided to meet in a similar format in the course of next year. A copy of the framework document agreed upon at the Capri meeting has been placed in the Library of the House.

United Kingdom Register of Organic Food Standards

Lord Dubs: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What plans have been made to review the operation of the United Kingdom Register of Organic Food Standards.

Baroness Hayman: As part of the Modernising Government programme, my department is now beginning a formal review of the United Kingdom Register of Organic Food Standards (UKROFS), which is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Ministry. UKROFS exercises regulatory and supervisory responsibilities in relation to organic farming across the United Kingdom.
	The first stage of the review is expected to cover the following issues: (a) The effectiveness of the present arrangements for discharging the national "competent authority" functions prescribed by Council Regulation (EEC) 2092/91 for regulating organic farming taking full account of:
	Government objectives for modernising public services, particularly the need for continuous improvement and better value for money;
	Government policy on the regulation of farming, in particular the Strategy for Agriculture, and any parallel policy statements prepared by the devolved administrations;
	the likely growth in the size and number of businesses in the organic farming-sector;
	the fact that responsibility for agriculture is now devolved to the administrations in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales; and
	the absence of a clear legal base for UKROFS.
	(b) The continuing need for the discretionary functions currently exercised by UKROFS, including:
	setting standards for organic produce, either where there are no EU standards or by supplementing EU standards;
	directly certifying producers who do not wish to register with the private sector certification bodies; and
	advising Ministers on organic sector issues, including commissioning R&D.
	Because UKROFS is a UK body, the Scottish Executive, the National Assembly for Wales and the Northern Ireland Assembly will be closely involved in the review.
	We expect to take decisions on the outcome of the first stage of the review before Easter 2001.
	Full details of the review, including advice on how to contribute, are being placed in the Library and on my department's website.

Army Base Repair Organisation, Sennybridge: Turn-Round Times

Earl Attlee: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many pieces of equipment have been outstanding for repair by the Army Base Repair Organisation's workshop at Sennybridge, as at 9 October, for (a) between one and seven days; (b) between seven days and two weeks; (c) between two weeks and one month; (d) between one month and two months; and (e) between two and six months.

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: Work brought by military units for repair at the ABRO workshop at Sennybridge is managed in accordance with a priority system set by Land Command that affords an agreed Urgency of Need to the job to be done. The degree of urgency determines the maximum length of time in which ABRO must turn round the equipment for repair. Typically, equipment must be turned round in the region of 20 to 30 days. As at 9 October 2000 there was no equipment in the repair process at Sennybridge that had exceeded the agreed turn-round time. The ABRO output Key Target in financial year 1999-2000, for the service provided to Land Command and to which the Sennybridge workshop contributes, is "to complete 95 per cent of District Load tasks within the priorities agreed with the customer." During that year Sennybridge achieved 98.9 per cent of tasks within the agreed turn-round times; a performance verified by internal audit. In the year to date achievement is running at 99.8 per cent.

Mr Graham Gaskin

Lord Alton of Liverpool: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What action they have taken with regard to the Council of Europe resolution (DH(2000)106) in connection with the release of personal information concerning Mr Graham Gaskin and his time in institutional care; and what actions they intend to take to ensure the early implementation of judgments such as that of the case of Mr Gaskin.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The Data Protection Act 1998 came into force in March this year. The Act implements the European Directive on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data, and on the free movement of such data. It also gives effect to the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in the 1989 case Gaskin v the United Kingdom concerning the right of access to social work records. At the same time guidance on the working of the Act was issued to social services departments by the Department of Health.
	Local authorities were warned of the Act's pending implementation in 1998 and formally advised to act in the meantime as if the Act were already in force so as to give data subjects access, where possible, to personal information held about them in social services files.
	Under the Act, responsibility for the release of personal information held by social services departments continues to rest with local authorities. Local authorities also retain the discretion to refuse access. However, in such circumstances the Act gives people the right to appeal against the decision to the Data Protection Commissioner or the courts.

Haemophilia

Baroness Jeger: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What help is given by the National Health Service to haemophilia sufferers.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The National Health Service provides care and treatment for people with haemophilia at home and in hospital through a United Kingdom-wide network of haemophilia and comprehensive care centres. We are working closely with the Haemophilia Alliance, which includes the Haemophilia Society and the UK Haemophilia Centre Doctors Organisation, on the development of a national service specification for haemophilia aimed at improving care and services.

Biopsy Waiting Times

Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What they regard as the maximum acceptable period for a National Health Service patient to have to wait for a biopsy for a suspected tumour, once the biopsy has been requested by a doctor; and whether there is any provision for a patient to be able to recover from public funds the cost of having the biopsy done privately in cases when the waiting period is longer than that laid down.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The NHS Cancer Plan published in September sets out new waiting targets for cancer treatment which will be implemented over the next five years. These will build on the two week outpatient waiting times standard that has been in place for all urgent breast cancer referrals from April 1999 and which is currently being rolled out for all urgent suspected cancer referrals.
	By 2005 cancer patients will wait a maximum of one month from diagnosis to treatment and a maximum of two months from urgent general practitioner referral to treatment. Our ultimate goal is that no patient should wait longer than one month from an urgent referral for suspected cancer to the beginning of treatment except for a good clinical reason or through personal choice.
	There is no provision for a patient to recover from public funds the cost of having a biopsy done privately. The Government's priority remains the modernisation of the NHS so that patients receive a high quality clinically appropriate service when and where they need it by making maximum use of all appropriate facilities and developing new services if necessary.

Incontinence Products and VAT

Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What representations they have had requesting that their definition of sanitary products will allow for the lowering of VAT to 5 per cent on continence products; what replies they have sent; and what action, if any, they will be taking.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: In response to consultation on the reduced rate of VAT for women's sanitary protection products, the Government received three representations for the reduced rate to apply to incontinence products. The Government's response to all representations received will be published shortly. Incontinent people who are living in their own homes are able to buy incontinence pads on a VAT zero-rated basis under current rules. The Government would not wish to introduce VAT at a reduced rate of 5 per cent on such pads.

Children in Poverty

Lord Higgins: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What estimate they have of the reduction in the number of children living in poverty between the date of the last general election and the Chancellor of the Exchequer's speech in Brighton on 25 September.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: It is estimated that 1.2 million children will have been lifted out of poverty as a result of the personal tax and benefit changes announced in the four Budgets since May 1997.

Petrol and Diesel Fuel Duties

Lord Lipsey: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What revenue would have been foregone since 1992 from duty on petrol and diesel fuel excise duties if those duties had been increased in line with the retail price index.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: HM Customs and Excise's estimate of the revenues that would have been foregone since 1992 had petrol and diesel fuel duties been increased in line with the retail price index is shown in the table.
	
		
			  £ billion revenues 
			 Financial Year Foregone 
			 1992-93 0.2 
			 1993-94 1.4 
			 1994-95 2.7 
			 1995-96 3.9 
			 1996-97 5.0 
			 1997-98 6.6 
			 1998-99 8.4 
			 1999-2000 9.4 
		
	
	The estimates include VAT and take account of expected changes in the pattern of consumers' expenditure as a result of the lower duty increases.

House of Lords Management and Services

Lord Cocks of Hartcliffe: asked the Chairman of Committees:
	What consultations he had during the summer recess regarding the House of Lords management and services review, including, in each case, who was involved and when and how the consultations took place.

Lord Boston of Faversham: I had no such consultations. The membership of the steering group on the review of the management and services of the House of Lords was agreed through the usual channels.

House of Lords Management and Services

Lord Cocks of Hartcliffe: asked the Chairman of Committees:
	What were the criteria used to select members of the steering group on the House of Lords management and services review; and who decided these criteria.

Lord Boston of Faversham: The criteria were that the members of the steering group should be Back Benchers who had not previously expressed an opinion on the proposal for a review of the management and services of the House. These criteria appeared to meet the need for an open-minded consideration of the proposal.

Student Mobility

Lord Judd: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What actions they are taking on the recommendations in Student Mobility on the Map (Tertiary Education Interchange in the Commonwealth), the report of the Joint Working Group of the Council for Education in the Commonwealth and UKCOSA: The Council for International Education, July 2000.

Baroness Blackstone: The Government are considering carefully the representations made to it in Appendix 1 of this report. We fully support the report's recommendations on promoting student mobility and are actively developing this through the Prime Minister's initiative to attract more international students to the UK. We are also encouraging UK students to take the opportunity to benefit from an increasingly international element to their studies, through programmes such as the EU Socrates Erasmus scheme.

Secondary Teachers

Baroness Sharp of Guildford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many of those entering schoolteaching from PGCE courses in secondary education in 1997, 1998, and 1999 dropped out of teaching within two years of graduating.

Baroness Blackstone: The most recent data available show that, of the 11,700 graduates from secondary PGCE courses in calendar year 1997 in England, 820 had left teaching in the maintained sector by 31 March 1999. Some of these will have left for career breaks and will return to teaching; others may have moved to other sectors.
	The number of regular teachers in maintained schools increased by 6,900 between January 1998 and January 2000.
	A DfEE survey of maintained secondary schools in England in the first week of September 2000 indicated that there were about 1,000 secondary teacher vacancies. The equivalent figure at January 2000 was 1,200.

Secondary Teachers

Baroness Sharp of Guildford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many of those graduating from PGCE courses in secondary education in 1997, 1998, and 1999 pursued careers in teaching for at least a year.

Baroness Blackstone: The most recent data available show that, of the 11,700 graduates from secondary PGCE courses in calendar year 1997 in England, around 7,300 had accrued at least one year of teaching service in the maintained sector by 31 March 1999, the same proportion as the previous year's graduate cohort. A further 670 were in service in the maintained sector but had not yet completed a year of service (having probably taken a gap year). Some graduates will also have entered other teaching service, for example, in the independent, further education or higher education sectors.
	The number of regular teachers in maintained schools increased by 6,900 between January 1998 and January 2000.
	A DfEE survey of maintained secondary schools in England in the first week of September 2000 indicated that there were about 1,000 secondary teacher vacancies. The equivalent figure at January 2000 was 1,200.

Students Qualifying as Teachers: Numbers

Baroness Sharp of Guildford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many students entered PGCE courses in secondary education in the academic years 1997-98, 1998-99 and 1999-2000; and how many of them dropped out before completion of the course.

Baroness Blackstone: The number of students entering PGCE courses (including school centred or other non-HEI courses) in England and Wales for teaching at secondary school level in 1997-98 and 1998-99, and the number of students from a secondary school level course obtaining qualified teacher status (QTS) in calendar years 1998 and 1999 are as follows:
	
		
			 Academic Year Students Entering Courses Calendar Year Students Obtaining QTS 
			 1996-97 14,260 1997 12,450 
			 1997-98 14,260 1998 12,190 
			 1998-99 13,140 1999 11,020 
		
	
	Equivalent figures for 1999-2000 and the calendar year 2000 are not yet available.
	Some students obtaining a PGCE during the calendar year may have started before the appropriate academic year.
	7From September 1999, those doing secondary maths or science postgraduate certificates in education received £2,500 whilst they trained. From September 2000, graduates doing any postgraduate secondary teacher training will receive a training salary of £6,000. These measures are on top of the tuition fee waiver for postgraduate teacher training courses. A new initial teacher training curriculum was introduced in September 1998 which is equipping all new teachers with the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to play their part in raising pupil performance across the education system and this raises the standards expected for QTS.

Learning and Skills Act: Land Consents

Baroness Walmsley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many requests have been made to the Secretary of State under paragraph 2(2) of Schedule 8 to the Learning and Skills Act 2000 by local education authorities seeking to dispose of, or enter into contract or grant the option for, a freehold or leasehold interest in land held by the authority from the date of the Act's Royal Assent to 30 September 2000; and how many of the requested consents have been granted within--
	(a) one working day;
	(b) more than one but less than five working days; and
	(c) five or more working days.

Baroness Blackstone: We have received 48 requests from local education authorities for consent under paragraph 2(2) of Schedule 8 to the Learning and Skills Act 2000. The table below sets out the time taken to respond on receipt of relevant information.
	
		
			  1 working day more than 1 day but less than five working days 5 or more working days Total number 
			 Consent granted 3 42 0 45 
			 LEAs informed that consent is not required 0 2 1 3 
			  
			 Total number 3 44 1 48 
		
	
	These figures exclude 28 cases where a joint application has been made for consent under Section 77 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 to dispose of school playing fields. The department aims to give a decision on applications under Section 77 within 10 weeks of receipt of all necessary information. This timetable reflects the need to scrutinise applications carefully in light of national concern about the loss of school playing fields under the previous government.

Omagh Bombing: "Panorama" Programme Court Challenge

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What are the costs to the taxpayer of the unsuccessful separate actions brought in the Northern Ireland Court by Mr Lawrence Rushe and the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission seeking to prevent the screening of the BBC "Panorama" programme on 9 October on the Omagh bombing.

Lord Irvine of Lairg: The cost of these actions is not yet known, nor is it settled what proportion of the costs will have to be paid out of public funds.
	It is likely to be some time before the whole costs are known. Emergency legal aid was granted to Mr Rushe subject to him satisfying the statutory financial criteria. That assessment will be completed shortly. If the applicant is eligible I am advised that the taxed bill of costs from the applicant's solicitor will not be received until later next year. Payment will be made within 30 working days of receipt.
	I am advised by my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland that the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission has not yet received an account of its counsel's costs although it is expected next month. In that action, the court has ruled that the issue of costs be adjourned for further consideration.
	Court fees are designed to include the costs of the court, including judicial time, and the fees due in each action will be paid by whoever falls liable to pay the respective costs.

Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act: Ethical Review Process

Lord Brookman: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will review the arrangements for requiring establishments designated under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 to have an ethical review process.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: My right honourable friend the Home Secretary has requested the Home Office Animals (Scientific Procedures) Inspectorate to carry out a review of the operation of the ethical review process to see what improvements can be made in the way in which local reviews are carried out to enhance animal welfare. The terms of reference of the review are as follows:
	To review the efficiency and effectiveness of the operation of the Ethical Review Process, as set out in PCD Circular 3-498 issued on 1 April 1998, and in particular to consider:
	(a) whether the aims of the process, as specified in paragraph 3 of the Annex to the Circular, have been achieved;
	(b) what problems may have been encountered; and
	(c) what the resource implications have been and to recommend any changes in the arrangements and to identify best practice.
	The review will take account of the views of all the stakeholders in the process, including certificate holders and licensees under the 1986 Act, and animal welfare organisations. The inspectorate have been asked to report by the middle of 2001.

Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act: Investigations Scrutiny

Lord Desai: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What consideration has been given to incorporating an independent element in future investigations by the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Inspectorate of allegations against establishments and individuals licensed under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: The introduction of an independent element into future investigations under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 has been considered.
	It has been concluded that the appointment of a small independent scrutiny team, drawn from the Animal Procedures Committee, and reporting directly to the Secretary of State would be the best and most practicable means of providing assurance that any future inspectorate investigations have been carried out with the necessary objectivity and thoroughness. The Government are grateful to the committee for agreeing to undertake this role following an approach to them in June 2000.

Investigatory Powers Tribunal

Lord Desai: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What arrangements have been made for the appointment of members of the tribunal to be set up under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: On 2 October, Her Majesty the Queen appointed eight members to the new Investigatory Powers Tribunal by Letters Patent for a period of five years. Lord Justice Mummery has been appointed as president of the tribunal and Sir Michael Burton as vice-president. The remaining six members of the tribunal are Sheriff Principal John Colin McInnes QC, Sir David Calcutt QC, Sir Richard Gaskell, Mr Robert Seabrook QC, Mr Peter Scott QC and Mr William Carmichael.

Justice and Home Affairs Council

Baroness Gould of Potternewton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What was the outcome of the Justice and Home Affairs Council held in Luxembourg on 17 October; and if he will make a statement.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: My right honourable friend the Home Secretary attended this Council meeting. The main matters dealt with at the meeting were as follows:
	The list of A points was agreed in full, including the three items outstanding from the Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) Council held on 28 September.
	Draft framework decision on money laundering, the identification, tracing, freezing, seizing and confiscation of instrumentalities and the proceeds of crime:
	There was a broad political orientation subject to certain parliamentary reserves and the European Parliament opinion to a common minimum maximum penalty of four years and that all Member States should be obliged to lift reserves in respect of tax offences to the 1990 Council of Europe money laundering convention's provisions on confiscation of assets. The Council also agreed a declaration to the effect that minimum maximum penalties would be considered on a case by case basis for future instruments.
	Draft convention on improving mutual assistance in criminal matters, with particular reference to the fight against organised crime, the laundering of the proceeds of crime and financial crime:
	There was broad agreement, on the basis of a Presidency discussion document, to the principle that legal assistance should not be refused solely on the grounds that an investigation concerned a tax offence or involved the lifting of bank secrecy. A number of Member States considered that such measures should be subject to judicial control; others also raised the practical difficulties involved in supplying lists of bank accounts in the absence of a central register. The Commission acknowledged that Member States would have flexibility in how they chose to abolish grounds of refusal founded in bank secrecy or tax matters; they should nonetheless aim to establish efficient systems for providing assistance in such matters. Work on the convention would continue at expert level on the basis of the discussion document.
	Presentation of the conclusions of the seminar from 13-15 September on the laundering of the proceeds of organised crime in Europe:
	The Presidency presented the conclusions. There was no discussion.
	Proposal for a Council decision establishing a Community mechanism for the co-ordination of civil protection in the event of emergencies--presentation by the Commission:
	The Presidency and the Commission presented their respective proposals. Two Member States welcomed the call for an assessment of respective national capabilities with a view to greater co-ordination between existing national structures. Others argued for a European Civil Protection Agency and a third for more European Union-financed training.
	Other items:
	I proposed a greater operational role for the Chief Police Officer's Task Force and proposed using a Council decision to place this work on a more formal footing. The Presidency concluded that the Council should return to this as necessary.
	One Member State registered the need for Justice Ministers to have greater involvement in discussions concerning Organization de Lutte anti-Fraud.
	Finally, the Council adopted conclusions regarding the ETA murder the previous night in Spain.
	On the afternoon of 17 October, the Justice and Home Affairs Council met jointly with the Ecofin Council. I represented the United Kingdom.
	Following a debate on strategy towards more effective co-operation in the financial sector, law enforcement and judicial co-operation, the Council adopted conclusions, a copy of which has been placed in the Library.